LINCOLN – School board members of the joint committee from SAD 31 (Howland area) and SAD 67 (Lincoln area) agreed Thursday night at Mattanawcook Academy to look into having a neutral facilitator and negotiator aid in discussions about a potential partnership between the two districts.

Although Department of Education Commissioner Sue Gendron offered in February to have department officials facilitate discussions, a number of the committee’s members were concerned that the state has an agenda.

“They are biased in this situation,” said Mary Hawkes, committee co-chair from SAD 67. “They are the driving force behind the regionalization and consolidation issue.”

Committee member JoAnn Rackley from SAD 31 questioned how much time it would take to find a neutral facilitator and pointed out that both school boards would need to approve one and likely appropriate funds to pay for the services.

Gendron indicated in a conference between representatives of both districts on Thursday that the state wouldn’t fund a neutral facilitator, Hawkes said.

After having talked to residents, SAD 31 committee member David Saucier said he was concerned about making a financial commitment.

“I just don’t know how they’re going to feel about it,” Saucier said.

The group directed the district superintendents to contact people with financial and educational expertise who could serve as a facilitator and determine the cost and availability. The purpose would be to bring the information back to the committee and eventually both school boards.

The committee also expressed support for state education officials to be present during committee meetings to provide facts and figures as needed.

On the issue of the potential partnership, Hawkes asked if SAD 31 had decided that SAD 67 was the district with which it wanted to work.

“We need some time,” said SAD 31 committee co-chair Jana Pierce, referring to the resident and board member requests that the district investigate the possibility of working with SAD 41 (Milo area) and Greenbush in Union 90.

While partnership options have included forming a single school district, consolidating services and sharing a high school, nothing has been decided about what a partnership could look like. The committee members agreed that the state-funded feasibility analysis of facilities and educational programs in both districts will play a major role in determining the direction of a potential partnership.

Members from the joint committee will review the bids for the feasibility analysis at 5 p.m. March 18 at Penobscot Valley High School in Howland. The next regular meeting of the joint committee will be at 6 p.m. April 1 at Mattanawcook Academy.